National Parks Access Pass, Senior Pass and America the Beautiful passes. Its a good thing, as martha would say

  It came for Peter last month.  I am so excited about this.  Until I started doing research and planning our Summer trip, I had no idea these existed.

SO WHAT IS IT?? This is the Access Pass.

It is a free, LIFETIME pass for permanently disabled US Citizens. It allows free access for the pass holder and 3 adults in their company/car to
The Forest Service, the National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Bureau of Reclamation....that provides access to more than 2,000 recreation sites managed by five Federal agencies.!!!!
So for those sites that Charge by the car it is free. For those sites that Charge per person it is free for Peter and the rest of us in the car with him (up to 3 other adults)

If you apply for it in person at a participating from a participating National recreation site,  the pass is free. If you purchase it online and mail in the application form, it is a 10$ processing fee. See HERE for the site and information for the access pass. To obtain this pass you need proof of residency and documentation of permanent disability. By Disability it means ..." a permanent physical, mental, or sensory impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, such as caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working."
 You need have a statement from a licensed physician, or a statement from a state agency, such as vocational rehab, or a federal agency (such as Social Security Disability, VA or Supplemental Income). You need to prove residency with a drivers license, green card, passport, or birth certificate. (if mailing it in, you just need a photocopy). I sent in a copy of Peters Birth Certificate and a copy of the letter from Social Security stating that Peter has been determined to qualify for Disability. 
  

So what if you arent Disabled?  
Well then you can get an America the Beautiful Pass. It is an ANNUAL pass for $80 that includes the same agencies and sites, and is for  the pass owner and 3 accompanying adults 16 and older (children 15 and younger are always admitted free).  It is good from 1 year from the date of purchase.  See HERE for the America the Beautiful Pass. 100% of the proceeds goes to maintaining the parks and sites.

What if you are a Senior Citizen?
Permanent residents and US Citizens that are 62 and older qualify for the senior pass.  It is 10$ for a LIFETIME pass (if purchased from a participating federal recreation site) or $20 for a lifetime pass if you want to skip doing the "in person thing" and do it via mail.
and you MUST turn 62 BEFORE you purchase the pass. HERE is the information for that.



Now it DOES NOT work for State /County Parks or monuments, privately owned monuments (such as those within the Native American Land Reservations.)
You do not get discounts at bookstores or gift shops.


Why am I spreading the word about these passes??
Because I am trying to get away from TV and Media and Facebook. I want to get out and about. I think we need to take America back, and remember how incredible it is to live in such a wonderful country.  We need to get out and enjoy this glorious land in which we have been BLESSED to live. We have so much unimaginable beauty here in the USA, and most people have no idea. They maybe have seen it on TV...or on the internet. GET OUT AND ENJOY IT IN PERSON FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!
These parks don't take care of themselves, and it costs money. Every little bit helps, and 100% of proceeds from these passes goes directly to the parks, rangers, visitor stations etc.

So one of my goals(starting now) is to visit more parks and recreation sites both here in NC and within the US throughout my lifetime.
I want to teach my kids about being proud to live in such a marvelous country. I want them to appreciate and enjoy (IN PERSON) the splendor and beauty of  this great land that the Lord has provided for us. I want them to learn to take better care of what they have been given and to take action to protect these wonderful places, parks, monuments and recreation areas.  I want them to look back when they are adults and say "WOW, I have been blessed to have been able to go to these places". THATS why this is so important.
Reclaim family time. Spend time with your children and your spouses/significant others/partners etc. in the great outdoors, and fire the Television as babysitter.

Happy Independence Day

Today is My Country's Independence Day. Today is the day we celebrate living in the land of the free and celebrate the men and women who have sacrificed their lives making that possible. In the United States Independence Day commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from Great Britain. Of course the King of Great Britain was not happy about these turn of events and thus began the American revolution and the war for Independence.

The opening paragraph of the Declaration is so beautiful and moving:

"When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness..."

Some of my relatives sailed over from England on the Mayflower in 1620. Others sailed as poor German immigrants at the turn of the century. They sailed into Ellis Island and saw the Statue in the Harbor. They felt that thrill of knowing anything was possible in the land of opportunity. I can only imagine the hope and optimism that ran through their veins as they disembarked, and set out to start their lives afresh.

To quote Lee Greenwood, "And i'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free. And I won't forget the men who died who gave that right to me. And I gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today. "cause there ain't no doubt I love this land. God Bless the U.S.A"

So Happy Birthday my dear country. God Bless the USA.